joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Meritha Jennings <merithajennings@att.net>
Reply-To: clousj@uku.co.uk
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:44:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: The secret behind your unpaid fund. [Strictly confidential].





The secret behind your unpaid fund. [Strictly confidential].
 
This is just a true short note about your unpaid fund, so you need to relax and read very well to your best understanding.
 
I am Meritha Jennings, a computer scientist working with central bank of Benin Republic.I am 27 years old, just started working with C.B.B. I came across your file which was marked X and your released disk painted RED.. I took time to study it and found out that you have paid VIRTUALLY all fees and but the fund was not released to you.
 
The most annoying thing is that they won't tell you the truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you, instead they allow you spend money unnecessarily, I do not intend to work here all the days of my life, I can release this fund to you if you can certify me of my security and assure me that when I make the release, you will settle me.
 
I needed to do this because I believe that you need to know the status of your Funds and cause for the delay, please this is like a Mafia setting in Africa , and you may not understand it because you are not an African. The only thing needed to release this fund is the Original Anti drug/terrorist clearance certificate which will be tendered to any of your nominated bank and the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) for clearance of the transferred amount in your account. Once the Original Anti drug /terrorist clearance certificate is obtained, funds will immediately reflect in your bank within 10 Minutes, the certificate is all that is needed to complete this transaction.
Note: that the actual funds are valued at 28.5 MILLION USD and the president made a compensation fund release for all unpaid beneficiary valued at USD10.5 million. Therefore, you will not be able to receive your Original initial fund in a single transfer, but firstly, the sum of USD10.5 million will be transferred to you as soon as the original document is obtained and cleared.
Get in touch with me immediate effect to conclude this final transaction immediately, and also send to me your convenient tell/fax numbers for easy communications.
Waiting for your urgent reply
Regards,
Meritha Jennings.
Tel: +229 98285879
E-mail: clousj@uku.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources: